DIY Easter Toddler Tie

Happy weekend everyone! I am adapting this project from the FMA archives while there's still plenty of time before Easter.  I originally sewed this fun toddler tie for my son to wear last Father's Day. While rummaging through my son's closet taking inventory for an Easter outfit, I ran across this tie and was happy to see it still fits my little guy. Wouldn't it make for such a cute Easter outfit? Since this was one of my first 15 posts, I figured many of you haven't seen it. If you're interested in making one for the little men in your life read on for the step-by-step picture tutorial.

Baby Dress from an Antique Tablecloth

My cousin's wife is about to have their first baby. Its a girl! I had hoped it would be a girl. See, this summer once I heard they were expecting, I began collecting antique linens and lace to make the new baby a beautiful dress so I had a vested interest that she would be a girl ;) My cousin's baby shower is this weekend, and I just finished the dress! All I used was a yard of quilting fabric and the lacey corners of an antique tablecloth. The pattern I came up with is so easy it can be done in 3 seams or less and can be adjusted to fit girls from 3 months to 2 years old and even longer if she uses it as a tank top. Read on for details, the pattern, and the tutorial...

DIY: Five Minute Sweater Pants for Babies

Last year while visiting my sister-in-law, she showed me how to make baby pants out of old sweater sleeves.

Seriously? ...Seriously? ...Seriously!

And, what sweetens the deal even more? It can be done in 2 seams and five minutes! Now, grab an old sweater, a strip of elastic, your sewing machine and lets get busy! Read on to see the picture tutorial.

DIY $2 Ruffled Baby Legs

Is there anything cuter than chubby baby legs? Well, maybe if the baby is wearing these ruffled leg warmers! Baby Legs charges $12 for a pair (and they aren't even ruffled!), but thanks to our good friends at Target, we can make these adorable warmers for $2 a pair! Read on, to see my step-by-step picture tutorial...

Flapper Fashionistas {Best of the 1920's}

The 1920's were a historical decade for women. This was a momumental time for Women's Suffrage, and a time when women abandoned the stiff, modest Victorian dresses and corsets for the swinging fashions of the flapper girl. This breakaway from the traditional full length dresses and rib shattering corsets really paved the path for modern fashions. Lately, I've been seeing a big swing back to the 1920's in new fashion trends. For instance, embellished headbands are a close derivatative from the headbands of the flapper girls...

Doesn't this band from Forever 21 conjure up thoughts of speakeasies, fringed dresses, and jazz? Target has their own line of these Flapper inspired bands for $10...

Another piece of today's fashion that can traced back to the twenties are these oh-so-popular cloche hats...

I am totally digging that green buckled cloche. So cute for Fall! And the grey Banana Republic cloche is so classic! If you're looking for something a little more feminine check out this beauty from WonderTrading's Etsy shop....

Or this classy one from Ranch Vintage...

I was giddy when I saw that Banana Republic just came out with a new Art Deco inspired line! Their fashions are a great throwback to the Flappers, but if you want something a little less subtle check out these gorgeous Etsy finds...

Timeless Vixen Vintage

Ahh, isnt that dress just dreamy? I love it! I am also loving the fun, flirty, jersey fringe on this black little number...

Glamarita

30 second tee-SKIRT

A few days ago I stumbled upon CuteCircuit, a London based wearable technology company. CuteCircuit makes clothing that features "smart textiles" and "micro Electronics". Anyway, they also gave us this tutorial on how to turn a tee shirt into a skirt in 30 seconds!

Tutoral excerpt taken from CuteCircuit.com:

1.  Get a large shirt you think will make a good skirt and that you are willing to sacrifice to the gods of fashion. Suggestion: Steal your boyfriend’s death-metal shirt! You’ll be doing him a favor.



2.  With a fine pair of scissors or a seam ripper, cut the collar in 2 places where the shoulders are and open the top shoulder seam a little. This opening is the waist, so don’t open it too much at first. Try it on and see how much you need to open it.


3.  Turn the sleeves inside to make pockets! If you want to get really fancy and make pockets that you can actually put something in you can turn the whole skirt inside-out so that you can stitch across the sleeve opening to close the pocket.


4.  Finally, if you want extra refinement you can add a snap or tie-string at the waist to keep that skirt clinging to the hips. And voilá: A new skirt with a fancy 40s style tulip shape!

This is just too brilliant not to share! Now I am going to start thrifting for some cute tees! Wouldnt this be so cute to try with an old college tee shirt? Perfect for tailgating!

DIY Designer Denim

I have a weakness. This is a really budget busting weakness too... I love designer jeans. I love anything with alot of detail. Not overwhelmingly extravagant but simple details that accentuate the high quality demin and designer cuts. As I'm sure you know, this kind of craftsmanship comes at a high cost and deservedly so, it takes a lot of time and hand working. I usually hunt for these high ticket items at the Nordstrom Rack and other discount stores. Even when I do find the perfect pair I am always faced with alterations as I am 5' 3". I always have to take 3" off the bottoms because the designers apparently think everyone is 5' 6". Anyway, altering means I always have to lose the beautiful finishing details on the hem line. Well not anymore! 


I went to a local fabric store and picked up some embroidery floss at $0.69 each. I had to buy two colors (gold and light blue) because the designer just couldn't have chosen one color to embroider, NO, they intertwined two colors! While I appreciate the effect, it made me add another step to my method. 

First thing I did was hem the jeans to the correct length. Then I began to hand stitch over the hem line with the embroidery floss. 

This wont take very long if you are only doing a single stitch line. I wanted to match the stitch on my inseam so I did two. You don't have to completely sew through the layers of demin either. I just tacked mine along the first layer of the hem line to speed things up.

After you have completed one hem line, before you tie it off, tug at the hem line a bit to stretch it. It will give it a more texturized look and feel.


Do you see the implications of this discovery? Yes, this means we can take any pair regular old jeans and make them look like designer denim! Just look for jeans with simple flattering cuts, typically in a dark wash and embroider away!


When I tackle fun yet tedious projects like this I always snuggle up on the couch and pop in a favorite flick. Makes it go by faster and I am multi tasking ;)


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